Friction tape fabric and method of producing the same



1,402,991 8. Pucnted Jan. 10, 1922.

, Aattenua vto . by rubber.

UNITED s'rATE-sfPATENr OFFICE.

FRED B. CARLISLE, 0F SEATTLE, 'WASHIN'G'JTON.

FRICTION TAPE FABRIC AND METHOD DRODUCING- THE SAME.

5 Specification of Letters `Patent. Patented J 3.11. 10, 1922.

' Application :nea rimes, lm.; serial Nan-1,832.

Vini tires, and to the resulting product.

n object'of my invention is to produce a homogeneous friction fabric in which "the woven fabric is disposed in tapes separated Another object is to produce a process by meansV of whlch such frictiontapefabric may be produced by employing either a broad strip of cotton fabricor a 'series of narrower tapes.

Another object is to produce a process by means of -which Such frictiontape fabric may be cheaply produced by common apparatus with but slight alterations.

Another object is to produce a process whereby friction tape fabric may be produced y in lengths for manufacturing tires there-Y` from, in which tapes of fabric are vimbedded so that the original' weft threads have been cut into relatively short lengths and the warp threads run uninterrupted and' diagonally about the axis of the tii'e core.

My invention comprises those novelfsteps and the series thereof which are. described in the s ecificationand particularly defined by the c aims terminating the same, and the productA illustrated, described, and claimed herein.

In the accompanying drawings I have diagrammatically illustrated apparatus for carrying outthe various steps 1n my roccss, and also the product resulting t erefrom and forming` a part of myinvention.

Figure l is an elevation of two sets of calender rolls, arranged for depositing rubber upon the tapes, and showing diagrammatically, in connection therewith, apparatus for carrying out my process.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a portion of the same apparatus.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the friction ta e fabric produced by my process.

igure 4 1s an elevation, with parts broken away, of a Single strip of ,friction tape ame, of which `fabric 'for use in building an ,individual Figure 5is a section on the line 5 5 of lligure 3 and Figure Gis a section on the line 6 6 of lFiure 4, both being shown on an enlar ed scale. Y'

.Accor ing to my process, 4a plurality of woven tapes laid parallel and in -thesame plane are coated on one side 'with rubber 'so as `to forniv of the various independent ta es a homogeneous sheet of friction tape fa uric.l vThe tapes might be independent at the""outset`ofthe process or, as I prefer to carry" out the .,process, a broaclstri of woven cotton fabric is divided longitudinally and the tapes so formed are again joined by the application of the rubber.

y The apparatus shown inl Figures 1 and 2 is illustrativeof apparatus which might be employed in carrylng out the, process. The woven cotton fabric is wound originally upon a' largereel 1; Y Thence it passes between calender rolls2 and 20. VA third calender roll 421 is employed, rubber being supplied between the rolls 21 and 2 so that it will be depositedu on the friction cloth as it passes between `t e rolls 2 and 20. This is the usual method of manufacturing triction fabric. However, intermediate the reel stoodthatmaintaining the sheet 10 stationary `and moving the splittinglmives 3 thereover would be only a reversal of the method described above.

I prefer that these tapes be separated transversely of the plnne'of the fabric sheet, and therefore betweenthe knives 3 and rolls 2 and 20 I provide spacers 4. The knives 3 and spacers 4 might conveniently be joined in the commerciel apparatus, and. are so illustrated. The cotton fabric l0 'should be of less Width than the calender rolls 2 or 20 so that the strips l1 of the fabric may be separated by a small amount and yet the ultimate outer edges of the strip will not lie outside of the calender rolls.V-

After the cottonfabrichas been split into tapes and Separated, a coating of'rubber 5 is applied thereto by passin the tapes through the calender rolls. T is coating lies upon theupper surface of the tapes and fills the interstices therebetween. The fric-V tion fabric so formed may then vbe passed..

It it immateria whether'or not the woven, fabric has been coated with the rubber upon one or both sides previous to 'forming the tapestherefrom. If it has been so coated, the tapes may nevertheless be cut to sever the weft threads of the woven fabric, and then rejoined by a. coating of rubber as described. The manner in which the weft threads are separated is likewise immaterial;A they may be cut by knives, ripped or torn, or severed in any inanner found suitable or desirable. Likewise, the width of the tapes may vary, and for different sizes of tires would vary. The objects to keep in view, in determining the Width of tapes to employ in making a friction tape fabric for a given tire, are that the tapes must not have their tensile strength reduced below that required of them in the tire (this being an easy'matter to determine), and that `the width of the tape must not be so small that each individually is not resistant to puncture.

The product formed by the process described above, in its original state consists of a wide strip of friction tape fabric wherein a series of narrow tapes 11 are imbedded between layers of rubber and wherein the interstices between the edges of the tapes are also filled with rubber. This would then be enerally cut on the bias toform individua strips for making tires. In these individual strips the warp threadsextend on the bias, and consequently in a tire would extend diagonally about the axis of the tire core. The weft threads remain in the fabricA and add particularly to its tensile strength and to its ability to resist puncture, but they are cut into short lengths. AThey serve to bind the warp threads together until the first coating of rubber has been applied thereto, and they serve in the finished tire to add strength to these warp threads.

Owing to the separation between adjacent edges of the strips ll, the central part of the individual tire Strips may be stretched lengthwise while its edges may be compressed as the tire is stitched down about the core. A tire formed of such strips combines thc advantages both of a cordtire in 'fabric which consists in' dividin its flexibility and ease of construction and in strength,` and includes also the tensile strength and toughnessof a fabric tire.

What I claim as my invention is: i

.1. Aprocess' of producing friction `tap fabric which consists in dividing a strip of fabric into a plurality-of tapes and in then applying rubber thereupon to form a homogeneous sheet. `V

l2. A'process of producing friction tape a moving strip of fabricinI thefdirection o movement into a plurality of tapes, and in then applying rubber thereuponfto form a homogeneo'us sheet.

3. A process of. producing friction tape fabiric which consists'in dividing a moving strip of fabric in the direction o movement into a' pluralityl of tapes, in separating the edges of adjacent tapes, and in'then applying rubber thereupon and therebetween to form a homogeneous sheet.-

4. A proce of producingr` friction tape fabric which consists in cutting a moving strip of fabricin Vthe direction of movement into a plurality of tapes, in separating the adjacent 'ed es of the Various tapes transversely of t e planeA of movement, and in then applying rubber thereupon and therebetween to form a homogeneous sheet.

5. The -process of producing a strip of friction tape fabric for use in tire muuufacture which consists in severing the weft threads only of a strip of fabric, in applying rubber to the tapes so formed, and in then cutting the homogeneous sheet so formed to sever the warp threads ot' the fabric on the bias.

6. A homogeneous sheet of friction tape fabriocomprising a plurality of wovon tapesy having continuous warp threads and weft threads severed along the tape edges, and all of said tapes coated with friction rubber.

7. A sheet of friction tape fabric for use in'the manufacture of an individual tire comprising ai plurality of woven tapes having Acontinuous warp threads extending from edge to edge diagonally across the sheet, and coated with rubber to form a homogeneous sheet.

8. A sheet of friction tape fabric for use in the. manufacture of an individual tire comprising a plurality of woven tapes hav ing continuous warp threads extendingr from edge to edge. diagonally across the sheet, and coatedfwith rubber. to form a homogeneous sheet, the weft threads in said tapes being severed along the edges of thc tapes.

Signed at Seattle, King County, Washington, this 27th day of May, i921.

FRED B. CARLISLE. 

